Vehicle-tire.



f. G. sAYLoR.

l VEHICLE URE. APPL'lcAnoNAHLEn mAn.s.19|1.

Patented 1Q, 1918;. y

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by ATi-ya.

F. G. SYLOR.

VEHICLE TIRE.

APFucATrqn mio ma. e. 1917.

Patented .-10,1918.

2 SH S-SHEET 2.

.' 3 ..45 for access tothe interior but provided with erArnsrA-'rnnr FRANKLIN cesniznon, 44or Quincy, Masse -Geenen ernennt, or n orrIoE.

VEHICLE-TIRE.

` Application led March 6, 1917. Seria1No.'152,451.

"To 'all'whom t may concern:

Verence being Be it known that FRANKLIN Simmer,

f `21, citizen. of tlie'UnitedSt-ates, residing at Quincy, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-Tires, of which the cfollowing is a specilication, refhad therein to' the accompanying drawings. l d

The invention relates to an improvinent in pneumatic inatable tires for vehicles of various kinds, being especial-ly intendedl for use onI heavy vehicles of the autoniobiie'type .and being especially valuable for :use on commercial4 vehicles which carry heavy loads.-v The object of the invention isv to provide a'pneumatic inflatable tire which does not require the use of an inner tube, which isl 'resilient yet will sustain great weight withoutbreaking down, and which is detachable and .is easily opened for the' purpose zof making repairs.

4 Y Solid rubber tires do not give enoughv resiliency forv economic use on heavy or freight carrying automobiles.` The suspended parts, the joints in the mechanism,

and the engine'are subjected to the' severest- Y kind of wear owing to the bounding niotionover rough roads.' The constant chatteringcauses the boltsl to wear in such a way that they frequently drop out 0f place and the life of thesuspended parts is very greatly shortened. i

Solid rubber tires in use on trucks of the heavy type must be replaced, when worn out,

at'the factory, causing delay and additional expense. The wheels when equipped with the solid rubber tire Weigh anywhere from 800 pounds tok 1000 pounds, depending on ,40

the tonnageofthe automobile. Under these conditions more power 1s required to run the foar, which means more expense for fuel.

One feature of the invention consists in making the tire tubular but split on the' inner periphery so that it can be opened up means whereby the split edges can be closed and sealed `tightly together .without adhesion, yet can be easily separated when de,-

sired without breaning or .mutilating any of the parts andiwhich can 'be closed andl j sealed together .again by the use of thesame mechanism, Athe tire also being constructed so that while it, is'sealed. it can be readily thereof will be infiated and the more it isiniiated the more t1ghtly it vbecomes sealed against leakage;

The invention will be fully understood when taken in connection with theffaccomcnnsn'rr's' AssIGNoR l0F oNE-Fotrnfin -ro 'j Evene, nnssAcnUsETTs.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented- Sept.. .1918." y

panying drawings and the novel' features pointed out and clearly de# fined `in thefclaims at the -clos've'of this speci- 'v fication.

In the drawings, Figure lis av longitudinali' section of a portion of a tire -embodyingtheinvention attached to the rim of a wheel.

Fim

tached from the rimand spread open. l

Fig. 4 is a cross section of 'a inodiiied form Fig. 2 is a cross section of the tire and 'I Fig. 3 is across section of the tirede-v" of tire embodying the invention attachedffto curing the tire to the rim.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represent-s the felly and 2 the rim, preferably of steel, vof the wheel to which the tire is attached. n v u f The tire A is a split tire having preferably an outer ory tread 'portion 3"of rubber, an innerportion i of friction canvas, and a lining 5 of soft rubber which is secured to the canvas 4 Vand formsga permanent part f of the tire.' The tread portion 3,'the'canvas portion 4, and thev lining 5 are all vulcanized or otherwise secured togetherv so asto form a unit and split on the inner periphery,

as clearly shown in Fig. ,3 lwhere the tire is shown as spread open. 'The portions 14,.

15-of the tire on opposite sides of the split will be referred to .as cheeks. The face'of l one of the cheek-members l5 is formed with'v a semifcircular groo'ye in which -is' seated-tt,y tubular ring 6 of soft rubber which extends around' the entire length of the periphery.

of the tire and is cemented ir/otherwise.

made fast to'the bed of the groove' 7 in the4 cheek, -the said tube 6 bulging outside of the groove, as-.shown in 3.

The' face rof :the other cheekjportionii tire.

v2, the projecting half of the tube 6 will be seated in and fdl the concave face of the :groove 8 while the shoulders 10 and 11 above and below the concave portion of the groove 8 will be seated upon the shoulders-l2, 13,

respectively which are above and below the tube 6.

Embedded within the cheek portions 14,

15,013 the tire are rings or annular blocks 16, 17, of hard rubber which extend around the entire length of the periphery orn the Viewed in side elevation they would be annuler. These rings or annular blocks of rubber 16, 17 are vulcanized into the canvas.

A series of bolt holes 18, 19, are formed through the cheek members 14:, 15 and eX tend not only through the canvas but also through the rubber rings 16, 17, and are so related to each other that when the tire is brought into the closed position, as in Fig. 2, the `bolt holes 18 and 19 will be in alinernent with each other. The said bolt holes are each of two diameters', the outer portion being of the larger diameter and the inner end portion of lesser diameter. Steel wash ers 20, 21 are embedded in the cheek pieces, preferably in the annular rubber blocks 16, 17, at the inner ends of those portions of the bolt holes which are of the larger diameter. inserted into the larger diameter of the bolt holes are sleeves 22, 23, which are preferably loose therein and are inserted when the bolts are introduced.

The inner ends of the sleeves 22, 23, abut respectively against the washers 20, 21 and the outerends of the sleeves project some distance beyond the outer faces of the cheek pieces 14, 15.

Side anges 25, 26, are provided for opposite sidesof the tire to aid in clamping the cheek portions ol the tire together and in clamping the tire to the rim, said flanges each being annular so as to go against the edges of the rim the entire length thereof on the two sides respectively, each of said anges being formed with an angular portion 27 which engages in the angular groove 28 formed in the tire. Said flanges are de tachable. The flanges 25, 26, and the einH braced telly 1 are each formed with a series of bolt holes to receive bolts 29 which pass through said bolt holes and which are formed with a head 30 on one end and 'are screwthreaded at the other-'end to receive a nut 31 which may be setv up to clamp the flanges i'irmly to the wheel. Preferably a .washer is provided between the nut 3l and the flange 25.

The flanges are also formed with bolt 419, inthe cheek members.

Lacasse holes 33 in alinement wit^- the bolt holes 1Si ing of the saine diameter as the larger di-V ameter of the bolt holes in the cheek mein# -bers andthe same diameter as the exterior' diameter 'of the sleeves 22,23, so .that said sleeves will lit into and extend through the ,said bolt holes besaid bolt holes 33 in the'ianges. Bolts 34 n pass through said holes 33 in the flanges', and through the sleeves 22, 23, said 'bolts being formed with a head 35 on one end and being screwfthreaded' at the other end to receive a nut 3.6.' Preferably there is a washer 37 between thenut and 'thelflange 25 which engages both the lian-ge and the outer end of the sleeve. By setting up the nut '36 the two cheek pieces will ybe'drawn.

very tightly together, the soit rubberlining formed on each, ofI thel contacting' edges of the cheek pieces forming. a 'sort of Vgasket which makes a very tight joint when `the nuts 31,36 areset'up.

The felly and .rim and cheeks are formed with `an aperture extending through tothe interior hollow portion 37 of the tire to receive an air tube 38 for the purpose of eX- panding the tire by connecting an air pump with the nozzle 39 of the air tube, said air tube, of course, to be provided with a valve in the usual manner. This air tubev ,will

vopen into the air tube `6, and the air tube'6` will have an opening 40 leading into the tube' 33'" so that when the tire is pumped up it will expand the small tube 6v as well as the tire itself. The more it expands the .tube

6, the tighter will the tube 6 tit between the cheelr pieces in the seat formed for it, therefore making more surely air tight the air space 3'? in the tire. As this smaller air tube 6 performs the function of tightly seal ing the joint between theftwo cheekpieces,

it will be referred to as the sealing member.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, there I is shown a somewhat dierent -form of sealj ing member from that already described.

The tire in other respectsvis substantially i.

the lining 5 of the air space l3"? for some distance toward the' lbolt holes in thecheek pieces, and preferably also "it is formed with ribs, 48, 46 on its two opposite sides. which engage 'in corresponding grooves in the cheek pieces.v 'f

ln the modification shown 6 'the l' 12;' l 5 sealing member is similar to .the sealing member first described, consisting of a tube '6 but there is a slight modification in the flanges and in the rim the `telly. In this' form the rim 50 is somewhat greater width than the :telly 51, said flange having (35 heavily loaded and is moving rapidly.,

Y 'extension portionswhich proj ectbeyond 'the edge of the :telly on. each side; Thelfaces of said extensions which are toward the 'aXisj ofthe wheel are formed-with abevel 52," and when thefnuts 36 are set upon the boltsl, lsaid beveled or cam-sur making a tight jointj In the 'Construcnlon shown insaidz modifi cation the side flange rings'53 do not emp, u .I e l I v. .e l e v brace the fellyandtheA rim 50 is secured .to the felly 51 directly` by screws 55.

In the modification gshownin Fig. 7 the construction. differs from that shown in Fig. 6 mainly in making the rim. 60 integral with the flange 61 so that the fiange -61 2 0 will be non-detachable and -it is formed with a beveled facedv lip 64 which engages lwith the bevel face 65 on the rim 60 in a similar manner to the engagement of the bevel vface on the' lip 5st of the liange 53 with the bevel face 52 on the rim 50, shown and described in connection with 4the modification in Fig.6. Y l j .A tire constructedin'accordance with my invention can be removed andre'placed by a new tire whenever it becomes. necessary in avery short time by the driver of the car, thus avoid-ing the delay incident to transportation to a factory andalso saving the factory expense. It being `an inflatable tubeless tire, there are no inner tubes necessary, thus saving another expens'eboth 1n the cost of the inner tubes in the first instance,.and avoiding the spoiling of inner tubes which sometimes become pinched inreplacing the burst or punctured inner tubes. The' present type of inflatable tires if made sufliciently strong for dray lwork would require such a'- heavy construction of the-shoethat.

-it would be almost impossible to spring ity far enough apart to replace the mJured inner tube with a ing 1t.

new one without pinch- If repairs becolne'necessaryv to the tire" embodying my invention, the tire can be sprung wide enough apart to make it acces# siblei'or repairs or for any other purpose.l

The base of the tire is built up inv'such a 'way that it is very'lirmovercom1ng the ftends' to cause theitire to leak 'and to become deflated.

The tire is "so-constructed that can beinl flated in the usual way 'whileit 1s securelyA bolted to the wheel lThere being no yinner tube', there is no friction to'cause the temperature of the coni fined air in -the tire too expand, such eXpan sion causing over strainwhen the vehicle is the vouter 'or tread sl'irfaee- 5 the side-flange rings 53, 53, are' formed with bevel -faced lips54 which engage with hef4 said beveled portions 52' of the rim. The bevel faces form sort of cam surfaces so that facture *of tread face` 'of the tiie.

Thetirecan not on elosedpfor 'the'v purpose of faces will aidinj mediate the inner and outer peri portion which fits thegroove QneO'the. cheek vmembers 'and having lfiat portions* sideof the groove,-

.adapted to engage with the groove'infthe the *flanges are 'drawn' up tand thecheek members and sealing. member tendency to creep 0r Slip 'on the surface-of the .wheel rim. Such slipping or creeping *in a'f ringof. relatively hard rubber..v which extends the entire length of thegtire-,fyth'e 'f vereerd-a 1.-" A splitjinflatable ve "lele" tire l tubular inatable 1 air yspatie"thereng'the i two em each formed with'a V-'shapedj oovege te'iid ing the entire circuit of thesardcheekl inter- "Pheryffhre of, a sealing ring between the cheekmernbers, Y said' ring having on one face'fthe1-eolr afl-ib'. j f

which overlievthe face of thecheek o'n 'eachf the fs'aid` ring having jon l its other-'face anotherr rib portion which is "90. -ace of the other-'cheek member when the i two `cheek"' `members are .brought together, and having-.flat portions in each side of the rib to .engage the flat faceof-the 'cheek members, and means for 'clamping the two .cheek {95jmembers together. y 2. A splitinfiatable vehicle tire'having an inflatable Aair space therein, a sealingmemfq ber between the two adjacent `faces of the' cheek members, the cheek.v members being formed with a series of bolt holes Aso vdisjposed that the bolt. holes in each cheekmexn er will bein alinement with the bolt'hole'sj .ill the other cheek member when the'tire is 10E-"21.5. bers each having apertures' in -alinem'ent closed, washers' embedded in the cheek memwith thefbolt holes, said bolt holes being'of two diameters, the outer portions being of theglarger diameter, sleeves inserted linto said-enlarged portions of the l bolt holes and extending from the washers outwardly 'bem flanges which fit over the 'projecting ends j of the' sleeves, and bolts whichpass through are brought into tight clamping'positiomf' 3. A'split inflatable vehicle tire having vva tubular air space therein, the @cheekmembers which form the abuttingportions'on-.the .two sides 'of1 the. .split each having --a bodyyporv tion 'of `canvas -.and having embedded fthere this boltffholes .of

its,

with each other when the tire is elesefl, was? erst' embedded in eeen ring een er the belt holes and sleeves insert@n into tee Guter ends si: tbe belt belles, leer ei seid sleeves abutting against be seiel weshers,

e. A split .inflatable vehicle tire having e tubuler air space therein, the cheek members which form the abutting portions on the two sides of the split each having a body portion of canvas and having embedded therein e ring of relatively herd rubber which extends tbeentire length of the tire, the cheek memm bers being formeel with a series of bolt holes vvhieb pass transversely through seid rubber ring, the bolt holes of the two cheek members being in alinement with each other when the' tire is closed, Washers embedded in each ring'r concentric with the bolt holes, sleeves inserted into the outer ends of the bolt holes, the inner ends oi seid sleeves abutting against the seid. Washers, anges which engage the outer feces of the cheek members, seid anges being :formed with which form the abutting portions of the tire each having embedded therein a ring or' rele, tively hard rubber which extends the entire length of the tire, tbe eheel members being formed with s series ef belt holes which pass transversely through said rubber ring, the bolt holes ef the two cheek members being in elnement with each other when libe tire is closed, washers embedded in. each ring coneentre with the bolt holes and sleeves inserted into the outer enfls of the bolt holes, the inner ends of said sleeves abutting against the Seial washers ln testimony whereof l' ellis my signature.

FRAN G. SAYLOR. 

